AI companies have long used video games to train and test their models, so it’s not a huge surprise that Google DeepMind has now acquired a minority stake in the maker of the popular MMORPG EVE Online. The partnership comes as the studio behind EVE Online announced that it is becoming independent again. Fernris Creations, formerly known as CCP Games, said that it has bought itself back from Korean video game company Pearl Abyss in a deal worth $120 million. EVE Online first launched in 2003 and is known for its sprawling open-world universe, where players can explore more than 7,000 star systems and participate in various in-game activities like mining, piracy, trading, combat, and even politics.  Alongside the buyout announcement, the company also revealed a new research partnership with Google DeepMind, in which the AI lab has taken a minority stake in Fernris Creations.…